Buying political favours

Do donations buy political favours? This is a question that’s been asked for years. Of course politicians will naturally tell you that they don’t… fact or fiction? You decide. In this region

Talley’s are well known for their anti-union behaviour, while they are worth around 500 million they seem to have a massive desire for more…they locked workers out so that they would not have to pay those workers over the Easter holiday period, beat that for meanness and greed gone mad. Yet they donated $5,000 each to Eric Roy, Colin King, Chris Tremain, Joanne Goodhew, Todd McClay, Lindsay Tisch, Chris Auchinvole, and Chester Borrows. All these people were very average National backbenchers yet Talley’s spent $40.000 to get them elected. Goodhew is the starry-eyed MP who looks at John Key during Parliaments TV broadcast of question time like a love sick duck while she nods her head…over and over and over…

The Road Transport Trust donated $5,000 each to Ruth Dyson, Bill English, Judith Collins, Joanne Goodhew, Todd McClay, and Phil Heatley. They also reportedly offered money to Clare Curran, but she turned them down.

Maori Party Co-Leader Pita Sharples brought in the big bucks from the construction industry, collecting $20,000 from Fletcher's Construction and $10,000 from MainZeal director Richard Yan. He also scored $25,000 from MainFreight chairman Bruce Plested.



Leonie Hapeta



Here in Palmerston North, Nat’s lightweight candidate Leonie Hapeta got $45,735.15 in donations, the largest being from Rewa Valley Ltd, of $25.000 a company that she is a share holder in. She spent $22,099.02 on advertising.

According to media she felt this was money well spent…I can only hope that the share-holders in Rewa Valley Ltd. Feel the same way because the local sitting MP, doubled his majority and won the seat at a canter…so she can’t offer any favours.

Iain Lees-Galloway of couse was the winner he received $23,750 in donations and spent $17,871 on advertising, so he spent less on advertising but won with an increased majority even though Labours party vote fell, and tell us that voters knew who they wanted.